Engineering Functions and the Secret Life of Engineers

Contact Jim Hisert

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A few weeks ago Brandon Judd and I had an opportunity to show 4 middle/high school students what it is like to be an engineer. In preparation, we decided the curriculum should be ‘what everyone else might forget to teach you about engineering’. As it turned out, the aspects of our jobs that were overlooked by our guidance counselors seem to be key career decision points. With that in mind, I plan to share a series of these lessons for anyone looking into becoming an engineer: From One Engineer To Another.

The first observation that we made, was that engineering does not stand by itself. Any field of engineering can shift slightly or completely towards one or more of 6 different departments. From our own experience, we noted many people within Indium Corporation that have started in engineering and went on to work in very different capacities within the company – such as president, VP, director, sales manager, and even corporate pilot! Being an engineer gives you experience with other departments, and you might end up in any one of those other departments someday.

30 years is a long time to spend doing a job that isn't right for you. My point is, if you think you will like being an engineer, don't be scared that you are locked into it. This occupation will allow you corporate mobility - and other job aspects (like travel) that I will discuss in later posts.

Read my 2nd post in The Secret Life of Engineers series, titled, TRAVEL.